The cyber attack triggered a “severe, global disruption,” crippling Stryker’s IT systems across Europe, Asia, and the USA. Thousands of employees at the medical tech company were left unable to work as corporate networks, internal software, and manufacturing management systems went offline, bringing operations to nearly a standstill at its office in Cork, Ireland, and beyond. The attackers reportedly deployed a “wiper” malware in this attack. This malicious software is designed to permanently erase and destroy data rather than hold it for ransom as it normally happens in a ransomware attack. A hacking group known as “Handala” has claimed responsibility for the breach. The group, which reportedly has ties to Iran-linked cyber operations, reportedly displayed its logo on the login screens of infected company devices. They claim the attack was a retaliatory measure for recent military and geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. Handala claims to have extracted 50 terabytes of sensitive company data and wiped over 200,000 systems globally. These figures have not been independently verified. The hackers stated the operation was a “complete …